EDD eligibility interview - will they deny me for not requesting leave of absence before quitting due to childcare?

Don't worry too much. When I had my eligibility interview (just had it last month), I was in a similar situation. I quit my retail job due to childcare issues when my kids' after-school program shut down. The interviewer mainly wanted to know that you had no reasonable alternatives before quitting. When they ask about leave of absence, just be honest - explain that you weren't aware it was an option and your employer never brought it up as a possibility. In your case, a leave wouldn't have solved the problem anyway since your childcare issues weren't temporary. Make sure to emphasize that you've been looking for work within your available hours (5:30pm-6am) and keep documentation of your job search efforts. EDD understands that childcare issues are a valid reason to leave employment, especially when schools close. Just answer truthfully and you should be fine.

OMG THE LEAVE OF ABSENCE QUESTION!! That one almost got me DENIED!! They're super picky about this! My interviewer was REALLY pushing on why I didn't ask for reduced hours or leave before quitting my job last year. They want to see that you tried EVERYTHING before quitting. If I were you I'd call your old employer ASAP and ask if they would have offered leave - maybe they'll say they would have denied it anyway because they needed someone during business hours? That would help your case a lot. They'll probably ask if you tried to find other childcare arrangements too, so be ready to explain ALL the options you looked into and why they didn't work. Good luck!!!!

As an EDD case worker for 5+ years (retired in 2020), I can provide some clarity. When children are involved and schools close, EDD generally considers this a compelling family obligation that may justify leaving work. However, they do need to establish that you explored alternatives before quitting. Here's what you should focus on during your interview: 1. Explain that you weren't aware a leave of absence was an option, and your employer never suggested it 2. Detail the specific childcare challenges you faced (hours needed, costs involved) 3. If you explored any alternative arrangements, mention them 4. Emphasize that your available hours (evenings/nights) didn't align with your dental office job requirements Be honest but thorough. Having documentation about the school closure dates would be helpful. The key is demonstrating that you had good cause for leaving employment and that continuing work would have created a genuine hardship due to childcare obligations. Avoid being defensive about not requesting leave - just explain your reasoning straightforwardly. The EDD interviewer is primarily trying to establish if you had valid reasons for leaving that would qualify under their guidelines.

i had the same issue!!!! quit my job last yr when my kids school closed. the interview was nerve wracking but i passed. just be super honest and tell them exactly what happened. they actually are pretty understanding about the childcare thing especially since covid. btw your relative who can watch kids evening/night - make sure u mention that! it shows ur trying to be available for some work hours and not just refusing to work completely.

My two cents - I've been through THREE eligibility interviews with EDD in the past couple years (long story, job market in my field has been awful). The leave of absence question is standard, and while they do want to see you exhausted all options, they're also realistic about childcare issues. One thing to prepare for: they might ask why you couldn't find alternative daytime childcare. Be ready to discuss specific roadblocks - waitlists for daycare centers, cost prohibitions (especially if daycare would cost more than you earned at the dental office), lack of available family members during day hours, etc. The more specific you can be about why you had no viable alternatives, the stronger your case. Also, the interview might be very short or quite lengthy - don't read into the length as an indication of approval/denial. They're just checking boxes and collecting your responses. Stay calm, be honest, and you should be fine based on what you've shared here.

I tried calling EDD about a similar situation last month and spent TWO WEEKS trying to get through. Kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and disconnects. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The agent I spoke with said childcare issues due to school closures are considered good cause for leaving employment, especially if you can show you had no reasonable alternatives. She said to be honest about not requesting leave and explain your specific situation. If you're struggling to get specific questions answered before your interview, might be worth checking out. Good luck!

my friend works at dental office too and her boss was super flexible with her schedule when schools closed. maybe your office would have worked with you if you'd asked? not trying to make you feel bad, just saying the interviewer might ask why you didnt try to work something out first. but childcare is usually considered good cause so youll probably be fine

Quick update about what to expect in the interview - they'll likely ask several variations of similar questions to check consistency. Don't get thrown off if they seem to ask the same thing multiple ways. For your specific situation, I'd recommend having these pieces of information ready: 1. Timeline of when school closed and when you had to quit 2. Any communication with your employer about your childcare challenges 3. Documentation of school closure if you have it 4. Notes about what childcare options you explored and why they weren't viable 5. List of jobs you've applied for that fit your available hours I found my interview went much smoother when I had all this organized and ready to reference. The interviewer actually complimented me on being prepared!

hey just wondering did u have ur interview yet? how did it go??? im sure everything worked out fine!

Good luck with your interview on Tuesday! You've gotten some great advice here. I went through a similar situation last summer when my daughter's summer camp was canceled unexpectedly and I had to quit my office job. One thing I'd add - if they ask about future employment, make sure to emphasize that you're actively seeking work that fits your available hours (evenings/nights/weekends). I brought a list of jobs I'd applied for in hospitality, security, and healthcare that had evening shifts. This showed I wasn't just collecting benefits without trying to work. Also, don't be surprised if they ask about your partner's work situation or other family members who could help with childcare - just be honest about your specific circumstances. The interviewer was actually pretty understanding once I explained everything clearly. You sound well-prepared and your situation is exactly the kind of thing EDD recognizes as good cause. Keep us posted on how it goes!